


Drift Along

by LonelyLimbs



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: College, Eventual Smut, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Smut, Romance, Slow Build, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-07
Updated: 2021-01-27
Packaged: 2021-03-09 20:13:59
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 8,142
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27932092
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LonelyLimbs/pseuds/LonelyLimbs
Summary: Every once in a while, two souls come together so spectacularly- like colliding stars- and fall so helplessly that it almost seems meant to be.She was his star to collide with, to give himself over to and relent everything he was to; this much was evident the very first time he laid eyes on her. Try as he might, this simple truth could not be denied.Sometimes, however, this point of collision happens at the wrong time, the wrong place.All Kuroo could hope for was that no matter how minuscule it was, she would be a constant presence, drifting alongside his life no matter how distant.Perhaps he'd get what he hoped for.
Relationships: Kuroo Tetsurou/Original Female Character(s), Kuroo Tetsurou/Reader
Comments: 4
Kudos: 54





	1. melodramatic

“Is that-?!”

  
“I think it is!”

  
“THE SKY TREE!”

Ah, the wonder and fascination of the Miyagi newcomers was certainly something to behold.    
As they gazed in awe at what essentially was nothing more than a steel signal tower- and were told as such- Kuroo Tetsurou couldn’t possibly contain the howling laughter that had him clutching his stomach in absolute amusement. He’d expected an interesting time, of course, but couldn’t possibly have foretold being so entertained within minutes of having the guests of Nekoma jump off their bus.    
Karasuno’s spritely nature and turbulent dynamic was only heightened by the fact that they were in foreign territory, new surroundings making for new marvels.

Their added presence was certainly going to be interesting, that much was assured. He hadn’t expected entertainment, but Karasuno was on the rise, and seemed eager to test their own limits. Whether they did so or not was the source of entertainment. 

It was going to be an interesting week, if truly nothing else, with the inclusion of Karasuno and their fresh faces full of determination. There were a few, however, that were missing and this wasn’t something Kuroo failed to notice. Questioning Daichi, and being filled in on how Karasuno’s number #9 and #10 were held back from the training camp, Kuroo didn’t expect to be humoured so early on. 

“So the dynamic duo had to stay and take supplementary lessons?” he summed up as they walked side by side, earning a slight laugh from the opposing captain, who didn’t quite know how to respond. It wasn’t as if Kuroo was wrong, he just made it seem so much simpler than his story had made it out to be. 

After being interrupted by some talk about Karasuno being fortunate enough to have not one but two female managers, and some bantering between Yamamoto and Tanaka, Kuroo let the rest of the team know that they were welcome to the gym once they were settled in, where everyone would be waiting for them to join. 

The day went along with nothing notable, beside the ever amusing sight of Karasuno enduring flying laps numerous times as a result of losing their matches. Kuroo couldn’t say he expected their losing streak, simply because he couldn’t exactly say  _ what _ he expected. What was unexpected, though...

  
  


  
  


**_BANG!_ **

  
  


The sound resounded through the gymnasium and echoed in his mind, only briefly catching him off guard and letting him tear his focus from the game. 

It was the gymnasium door that had burst open and gave way to something.

No, not something, _someone_.  
Some _people_ , even. 

An older woman, possibly in university, and the two missing Karasuno players. They looked across the courts, dripping with an air of assurance and conviction, ready to play.    
This assurance stirred an irritation in Kuroo, though where it came from he couldn’t exactly say. Dramatic cliches were never to his taste, and there was nothing more dramatic or cliche than the delayed arrival of the two players that everyone had their eyes on. A scene that left a sour taste in his mouth, it really was, Karasuno's number 9 and 10 standing expectantly in the sunset stained light, proud as ever.   
  
He couldn’t blame them, in fact their dedication to the sport and their rush to get to all the action was truly inspiring for even an experienced captain and player like himself.   
It was all just too dramatic for him to stomach with a serious face.

Kuroo deliberated aloud through a sly grin, turning his distaste into his specialty brand of goading and giving it a playful edge. No malice or ill intention sullied his words as he spoke.

“So the stars are showing up fashionably late, huh?” 

  
There was more hanging on his tongue, more provocation to be had, but it all died in his throat when a fourth person followed behind as the first three poured in, leaning against the open door with wide, wondrous eyes.

  
  


In an instant, everything was at a stand still.

  
Frozen in his wide, golden eyes. 

It was _his_ turn to deliver a dramatic and cliche moment.


	2. shining

There was something dazzling about the pale yellow haze that outlined her figure. He couldn’t put his finger on what exactly it was, or why in that moment nothing ever looked more breathtaking, but Kuroo was quick in convincing himself he’d never seen anything like it -like her- and most likely never would again.   
Because it wasn’t just her he was seeing; he was seeing a full motion picture moment, slow motion and all. His wayward glance had been transformed into a pinpointed stare, abruptly captured by her when she burst through the gymnasium doors.

However, time could only slow so much for him and his enraptured moments. He was, after all, in the middle of a practice game.   
Even so, he didn’t tear his eyes away from her, not until it was completely necessary for him to. Kuroo watched her as she tapped her shoes at the door and darted to the Karasuno bench, settling herself amongst the managers and the coaches. Was she a manager? Did Karasuno have three managers? They’d be lucky if they did, Kuroo knew a good majority of the boys at the training camp wished they were as much so.   
Yet, she wasn’t dressed in the signature track suit get up the others were, so there wasn’t much likelihood in that being the case. The way she spoke with the darker haired of the two managers -Kiyoko, he recollected- even pulled a soft smile from her lips, told him that this mystery was most likely just a friend to the managers, who had somehow snuck her way from school to be there. 

“Kuroo.”  
He was promptly pulled from his thoughts, when Kenma gave him a gentle reminder of where he was. Kuroo sincerely hoped there would be no lingering traces of his thoughts on his cheeks, namely a blush, as embarrassment at being caught gawking took over. He was thankful at the very least it was Kenma who yanked him from his ever-spiralling questions, as Kenma would surely be the first to hear about Kuroo’s feelings. 

“Sorry, mind-blank. Let’s go,” he asserted in response, stretching his fingers as if expelling his thoughts and replacing them with his main priority in that moment: volleyball. He had to keep his eye on the ball, quite literally, if he wanted to get any worthwhile practice out of this training camp. His eyes cruised across the court, briefly across the opponents across from him, before settling on…  
Oh no.  
Apparently, Kenma hadn’t been the only one to notice Kuroo’s distracted mental state.   
The mischievous shine in the golden eyes locked onto Kuroo’s own told him all he needed to know, and that was that Bokuto caught his staring too. He wouldn’t hear the end of it now. 

* * *

The game went by without much more of a problem, as Kuroo made a conscious effort to not let himself be taken by the mysterious Karasuno girl. He’d be sure to ask about her when he got the chance, if he could find anyone to ask. 

Kuroo watched (in no small amount of smugness) the Fukurodani team took their joint punishment for losing against Nekoma, letting the sight of Bokuto complain be the only thing he focused on, lest he search for her amongst the crowd again. Even when they were all leaving against the backdrop of a setting sun, Kuroo placed his mind in the hands of the boys around him and their various conversations, resigning his thoughts so that he wouldn’t be responsible for them.   
That was, until…

“You don’t normally lose your train of thought mid-game, Kuroo,” Kenma piped up, somewhat out of the blue. Kuroo movements were startled and sharp as he turned to his companion, who was instead focused on his handheld console and only offered these words as a passing observation. Yet, for how uninterested Kenma seemed, there was definitely a curiosity there, and years of being friends only made it more apparent. It wasn’t so much a simple statement, but the beginnings of a piercing analysis.   
A tactic, if you will, the same as any video game Kenma had ever played: pretending not to be interested when in reality it was the most captivating thing he’d seen all day. His captain taken by surprise, mid game no less? Kenma had to get to the bottom of it, and fast, to satiate his inquisitive nature. 

“Just saw some unfamiliar faces,” was all the response Kuroo could muster, knowing that it was far too obvious an answer to begin with.   
Kenma was far from unintelligent -to Kuroo’s misfortune at times- and he had surely picked up on exactly where Kuroo’s eyes had been glued to.   
Well, who. 

“Shoyo said she was their older manager's friend, she convinced the vice principal to let her be a vice manager or something, mostly so she could skip school and tag along with the Karasuno team. Don’t know how she managed it, but she did. I think Shoyo said something about her promising to take photos of the team to put in the school paper or something.”

Was this...intel? Information? Disbelief painted itself across Kuroo’s face.

  
“You...you asked Hinata abou-”

“Well yeah,” Kenma interjected, “you seemed pretty interested but I knew you wouldn’t ask their captain.”   
  
He wasn’t exactly wrong. Daichi and Kuroo were on speaking terms, but not so much that Kuroo could comfortably ask about their random stowaway members while keeping his dignity in one piece. He feared doing something so forward would only portray him as overly eager and possibly somewhat sleazy.   
  
Kenma being right didn't do much to fight the blush that edged across the bridge of Kuroo's nose and dusted across his cheeks.

“S-so...she isn’t part of the Karasuno team at all, huh? She mustn’t take her studies seriously if she’s ditching school to go to a random volleyball practice camp.”  
There wasn’t nearly as much nonchalance in his words as Kuroo wished there was. What was an attempt at coming across uncaring made a very fast decline into sounding sheepishly curious.

“That’s what Shoyo said at least. Then again, I guess it’d be cool to have someone support you so much that they drop everything for you. That’s why she was there, after all, she’s not just friends with the third year manager but the third year players too.”

Kuroo couldn’t deny the way he hung onto a few particular words uttered by Kenma. They almost stuck to his brain, echoing in his ears like a truth he didn’t know he needed to hear: 

**_‘I guess it’d be cool to have someone support you so much that they drop everything for you’._ **

“Yeah,” he contemplated aloud, hand gripping his bag and eyes cast to the blazing orange skies. “That would be pretty cool.”


	3. the wrong door

Was there something wrong with her? Was there a stain on her outfit, or was she truly that out of place? All things she wondered as her memories flooded with the sight of the tall dark haired man staring at her in the midst of his game. He was from Nekoma, Kiyoko had enlightened her, and he was the captain.  
  


Kuroo Tetsurou.  
  


The name was folded over in her mind endlessly. His eyes -vibrant and laser focused- plagued her thoughts. She almost burned with embarrassment at the idea of there being something so odd about her that the captain of an opposing team could do nothing but gawk. The moment was ingrained in her mind and she was sure it would be the sort of recollection that reared its ugly head years down the track, randomly keeping her awake at night. 

“Are you sure there wasn’t anything on my shirt? My face?”

“I’m pretty sure. I don’t think he was actually staring at you, so much as just into space. There’s a lot to think about when you’re on the court,” Kiyoko assured, looking over her clipboard and only peering from behind her glasses to gauge the reaction of her stress-ridden friend. While they were words that had been repeated, it’s as if they only just began to settle in.  
The two of them ambled along side by side, toward their temporary accommodation against the backdrop of the setting skies.  
  
“I mean...you’re probably right,” she conceded to Kiyoko, “You usually are.” 

There was a sort of self indulgent aspect to the idea that Kuroo had been staring at her, and she didn’t know what embarrassed her more: him staring at her, or her thinking that he was staring at her. It’s not that she wanted to be stared at, much less by someone who seemed so important. The captain? Of a rival team? That wasn’t the sort of ill-attention she wanted to attract.

“I guess it was also because you were a random person, we were all in a uniform of sorts after all. I’m still surprised you managed to get the week off with the rest of us myself. Anyway, are you sure you don’t want to come back with me?”

“No, that’s okay, I told Asahi that I’d talk with him before I left about the English homework in exchange for help on the maths, and I think Suga also wanted to capitalize on that help, so I’ll stick around and watch them practice for a bit before I help them and then leave.”

“Fair enough,” Kiyoko simply yielded, not pushing the issue further. Even she knew those two could use all the help they got, possibly Daichi too. They were, after all, pushing through their third year while continuing volleyball instead of retiring. Much the same could be said for her, being the manager of a whole team consisting purely of buzzing chaotic energy and little self-organization, but her grades were and always had been steady and impressive.

The two girls waved one another off, going their separate ways as the day died off. The pink and orange hues reflected off her skin in a vivid shine, tearing across the sky and trailing off into the distance. Coming to a close, the day quickly turned to night as she slowly strolled to the courts, in no hurry and just taking in the sights around her. When she arrived, she was met with a bashful and somewhat embarrassed Suga, who mumbled something about leaving the homework back in the boys main stay area. With a chuckle and a poke to his shoulder, she agreed to go and retrieve it with the assurance that she could most certainly find her way back to where they were practicing, no problem.

  
  


* * *

At least… she had thought so.

Looking across the school grounds in the dark made getting back to where Karasuno was a harder task than necessary. There was a light coming from two of the gymnasiums in sight, so it had to be one of them. Her feet took her past the first gym, and hesitantly she peeked in to see whether it was this one or the next that held the familiar faces she seeked. No such luck.

From behind the door, peering in slightly, she was met with the vision of a few boys of the opposite teams, along with only one face she knew. Tsukishima seemed to be practicing with boys from Nekoma and Fukurodani, which wouldn’t have been so out of place, if it didn’t include _him_. 

**Kuroo Tetsurou.**

Seeing him sent a cold chill down her spine, one that told her to run, avoid him completely. If she was fast enough, she wouldn't garner his attention and more so, his stare. Yet, before she could go through with that plan, Tsukishima caught sight of her and halted his actions. 

“Oh, hi, you’re the friend of the third years. I thought you would have gone back with manager Kiyoko, is there something you need?” Tsukishima was curt and straight to the point with his words, speaking only what was directly on his mind and nothing less. It was something she would have admired had she not felt the hot flush of attention wash over her, as everyone who occupied the gym turned their focal point onto her.

Including Kuroo. 

His eyes widened, and she didn’t miss it. Their eye contact was as brief as she could make it on her behalf, as she forced herself to look at all the boys in the area with a sheepish smile. She stepped out from behind the door and fiddled with her hands, a light shrug on her shoulders as she played with the knitted sleeves of her billowing cardigan. The will to be calm and collected forced itself upon her when delivering her reply. 

“Oh, no, sorry to interrupt, I just got a bit lost coming back from where you guys are staying.” She indicated the papers in her hand, waving it a little with a gently awkward chuckle, “I’m helping the third years in Karasuno with their homework, so it isn’t too much pressure focusing on their last year. But... it’s pretty dark out there, and there’s more than one gym.”

One of the taller boys she did not recognize grinned widely and clapped his hands together, pointing directly at her. 

“That’s a smart idea, I wish I had someone like that! I just put all of my effort into volleyball.” He ran a hand through his two toned hair, that stood tall and grey on his head. “That’s not to say I’m not doing well, just that I could be doing better.”

Kuroo couldn’t help the smirk that played on his lips, and certainly couldn’t stop himself from taking the opportunity that was so neatly placed before him. 

“Bokuto, weren’t you just saying that you’re a super genius or something? That you were doing better? Where is all this fake humbleness coming from?”

The sound of his voice was so surprising it nearly knocked the wind out of her lungs. It filled her ears and wrapped warmth around her heart, in a way she couldn’t possibly explain to herself let alone to anyone else. She almost had to steady herself, appalled at how easily she let a simple voice sway her very being. 

Bokuto’s yelling ripped her back into the present moment, his fists balled up and a glower directed right at a laughing Kuroo.  
“HEY! You don’t need to try and embarrass me in front of everyone, especially not strangers I’ve only just met!” 

“I’m not embarrassing you, I’m just giving an honest look at the real Bokuto; you’re a top 5 ace, you have unearthly amounts of exuberance, and your grades are less than exemplary.”  
  
“You’re stirring me up and you know it,” Bokuto growled with lingering frustration, before swatting a hand in Kuroo’s direction and shifting away. “Whatever, let’s keep going Rooster-head.”

Where the courage came from, she couldn’t say. Something inside her spilled out in a mumbled offer, one that sounded foreign to her own lips that were smiling at the interaction she’d witnessed.

“I could help you practice… I mean, both volleyball and any homework.”  
  
He _beamed_ .  
Bokuto actually beamed -is it possible for a human to _shine_?- and it was as if his smile could brighten any room. Eyes round and as luminescent as his grin, his fists came together before his chest and he jogged to her with great delight. 

“Really!? You’d do that for members of the opposing schools!? That’s so nice of you!” 

“Uh..yeah, why not? I mean, you might be the opposing team in volleyball, but third year is hard on everyone, same school or not,” she concluded, stepping further into the gym and looking at both Bokuto and Kuroo. There was a shared feeling, the sort that came when multiple people acknowledged hard truths.

“Bokuto here really needs the help, but we could all take you up on helping with practice if you’re not busy right now. Volleyball, that is. I think Kuroo and I have homework pretty down,” a previously unspoken voice quipped in. A man with heavy, piercing eyes and an distant, detatched expression, wearing the same get up as Bokuto and obviously from Fukurodani as well. 

“Not you too, Akaashi!” whined Bokuto, who’s body slung forward in defeat at his teammates' words. Bokuto truly put his whole body into his emotions, leaving nothing he felt up for question; he was an open book for all to see.

“I’m helping Suga and the others tonight, but we have a week here, so I can definitely help later on. Maybe tomorrow night after all the practice games?”  
  
The response she received was less verbal, and more so delivered in the act of Bokuto’s arms being thrown into the air with reckless joy, and his ringing laugh echoing through the gym, melodious and truly warming to the soul.  
“Yes! That’s perfect, thank you so much! Karasuno really has some great managers!”

  
Tsukishima rolled his eyes at the loud display of gratitude, unable to find a whole lot of tolerance for the outgoing personalities he was seemingly surrounded by. They were exhausting to say the least, and yet he still couldn't help his admiration for the lot of them.  
“Everybody else is in the gym next over,” he simply offered his faux manager, before turning heel and taking up a volleyball, more than ready to get his involuntary and unwilling participation over and done with.   
  
“Thanks Tsukishima. Practice hard!” she replied, with a simple pump of her fist for added enthusiastic encouragement, before waving off the lot of them and jogging out of the gym. Little did she know she left more than a few feelings in her wake, bubbling inside those she’d spoken to. 

Bokuto was still radiating a hopeful cheer at the prospect of a helping hand, and even possibly a new friend. Akaashi fed off this feeling, turning it into an amusement at his fellow team mate.

And in Kuroo…  
  
In Kuroo she left a heated, blossoming feeling he couldn’t really put a name to. It almost burned within the confines of his chest and tingled at the tips of his fingers.

It was a feeling he could very easily get used to.


	4. irrational and naive

“So,” Bokuto drawled out, leaning into Kuroo comically, nudging an elbow into the Nekoma captain’s ribs. “Are you going to make use of the Karasuno managers tutoring? Or maybe getting her to toss up a few balls for you, some private practice?”  
  
All this jesting and taunting had Kuroo rolling his eyes so hard he swore he could see his own brain.  
Of course, despite his aloof nature and dim-witted personality, Bokuto hadn’t forgotten the way Kuroo’s eyes lingered on her. He must have stored the memory away for the perfect moment to tease, and that perfect moment had apparently arrived. Too often was Bokuto underestimated. By no means was the man a genius, nor was he as observant as he thought himself to be. However, to say he was full of surprises would be a absurdly simple way to describe him; he may not be full of brains but when they were applied, he was able to read situations like children’s books. Albeit rarely, Bokuto was not all just muscle and lively energy. 

“I’m not going to say no to a helping hand,” was all Kuroo could reply with a shrug, striving to lighten the situation and give Bokuto less of a reason to poke at him. It wasn’t as if he didn’t speak the truth, either, a help in practice would always be something Kuroo appreciated. It’s just that maybe that help would be better enjoyed coming from someone _specific_.

“You’re not wrong, but help from a pretty girl? That’s not common. It’s the perfect opportunity to make a move, too, if you like her!" There was a shrug, with a slight pout of casual admittance. "I mean, I like her. She's kind and she helped me with my work, what's not to like? Well, I like her, but by the look in your eyes when you're looking at her, you **_really_** like her.”

A scoff, followed by a shaken head. It almost sounded like a choke, but Kuroo hastily managed to manipulate his voice into sounding stunned and detached, surprising himself at his abrupt ability to hide his true reactions. His fingers shakily latched onto his dark hair and pushed his fringe from his face, his features playing on the idea that he was incredulous at Bokuto's words, rather than nervous. 

“Like her? Bokuto I don’t even _know_ her. She seems nice enough, and she is...pretty,” he reluctantly choked out, “to look at… but she’s from Karasuno, and that’s so far away. Even in the off chance anything ever happened, it’d be so distant that there wouldn’t really be any point. Why start dating someone you can’t actually date? And in the middle of my last year of school, no less.”

Having overheard the conversation, Akaashi threw in his two cents, not particularly bothered as to whether it was considered or not, but wanting to voice his opinion regardless.

“People do long distance all the time, it’s not so uncommon. Besides, being in third year, you might end up closer together next year location-wise.”

Bokuto knocked Akaashi's shoulder with the back of his hand, mouth wide at the astute indication, "Akaashi's right, if you two end up going to the same school when you graduate, then you'll be able to take her out on dates no problem!"

Denial ran through Kuroo’s brain fiercely and in a rush, although he understood that everything Akaashi mentioned was completely logical. The words turned over in his mind as those in the gym let their practice be ended by the darkness of night that only grew deeper, as well as the yawns they sporadically radiated and almost contagiously passed to one another. They packed and locked up, letting their now burdensome feet carry them toward where they would be staying for the night.

There was some truth there, Kuroo could admit to himself at the very least: some of the best universities were in Tokyo, a surprise to none, and so it was common that people made the shift from rural Japan to the big city in order to achieve the level of academia they were seeking. While he already lived within a reasonable distance from all the highly regarded universities, perhaps she would strive for that very experience; living in the capital of the nation and learning from the best Japan had to offer, beside others that wanted the same…Beside him...

"It's one in a million we'd even end up at universities close by. I imagine this week is the most I'll see of her in my life."

Nothing more than a hopeless romantic's dream would it be to imagine that both he and her would coincidentally move closer to one another and eventually go tumbling head first into a whirlwind romance.  
Is that even what he wanted? To let himself free-fall into the feeling he had in his chest when looking at her? It was unfamiliar and almost frightening. He'd had crushes before, he'd felt the attraction of another person haze his mind and bind his will, but this was much more powerful than any other time he could recall, much more than a mere crush. He couldn’t even give the feeling a name, let alone have it consume him whole and make him wish a fool’s wish.  
  
That’s all it was, he had himself convinced. It was nothing more than a distant wish, irrational and naive.

That’s all _he_ was.

Irrationally enthralled and naively bewitched.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Can you tell I love Bokuto immensely, for all his exuberant and positively captivating glee as a human being? 
> 
> Anywho, I do apologise for such short chapters, there are perfect places to cut these 'scenes' if you will and so they've started to turn into little moments rather than fully fledged chapters. They will begin to lengthen as the story progresses and things begin to deepen, but for now they stay fun little snippets packed with feelings and antics!


	5. a good start

Again.

She was there again.

Of course she was there again, what could she possibly do, cycle all the way back to Karasuno?

  
It was completely ridiculous to expect her _not_ to be there, and Kuroo knew that.  
  
Still, as he watched her pat down her morning hair and yawn into her hand, his breath stilled within the confines of his chest, his brain screaming at him to just _stop staring_ . He looked at her as if he’d expected it to be some sort of delusion, and that she would turn out to be a figment of an overworked imagination.  
  
Almost painfully obvious was the way his eyes persisted in their hold of her, their regard of the way small wisps of her hair fell between her fingers when she pushed it from her vision. Or the way her eyes had some unfamiliar glint when she laughed, presumably at something Hinata had said. 

  
He almost committed every small gesture to memory, and they followed him on the court as he played.  
No interference was offered by these memories, and they didn’t prove as distracting to his gameplay as his first encounter with her, as she was no longer a surprise. In fact, the only surprise was that he could actually play without his eyes being glued to her all day, and that he performed better than usual. Perhaps it was the unconscious attempt to impress. Without his permission, or even his awareness, his mind was clawing desperately away from failure, in fear it wouldn't let the team down, but let her impression of him come crashing around her and leave her disappointed. Winning and losing, they were all part of the game. Even so, volleyball wasn't the only game he was playing that day, but it was definitely the easier of the two.   
  
Simply put, the small moments he kept as memories came and went as the day did so too, that reminded her she was still there and not a fever dream; that she would be in his presence for a full week and he would have the chance to take in the sight of her as often as he could.  
  
Kuroo wasn’t complaining. 

* * *

If stolen glances were a currency, she would be able to drop out of school and live a comfortable rest of her life.  
There had been no _intention_ of letting herself be completely enraptured by an enemy team mate, and it wasn’t something she’d so freely admit to. It was more or less thrust upon her every time she caught his charcoal black hair in her peripheral vision, or from across the gymnasium. 

  
She’d be lying if she said he didn’t intrigue her. 

Perhaps intrigue wasn’t the word, but anything more passionate and she’d be nothing but a mess of embarrassment. 

Her look was so often set on Kuroo that she, on more than one occasion, completely missed what Kiyoko and Yachi said to her. Yachi was none the wiser, utterly engrossed in the sport and her attempts at catching up on the mechanics of it all. Volleyball and it’s rules came more naturally to Kiyoko, however, and so she had a much keener eye. 

“And here I was thinking you came because you wanted to support us. I didn’t know you saw this training camp as a dating pool.”

Pure terror. That was all that was reflected in her eyes as Kiyoko’s whispered taunts established their meaning in her brain, settling in and echoing non stop. Was she truly so obvious?

“Wh-what?!” the implication that she was only there to capture herself a partner had her answer coming through panicked and stressed, “No! Of course I came here to support you guys, I-”

“I know, I know. You just seem to be very preoccupied with the Nekoma captain. I don’t blame you, of course, he’s very skilled and not too painful to look at.”

Trust Kiyoko, in all her wisdom and grace, to be achingly honest in her thoughts and observations. And that’s exactly what it was: honesty.

Because she agreed with Kiyoko: he wasn’t too painful to look at.

  
He was far from painful to look at. 

Softly, with ease and a slow recognition, she allowed herself to look at him. Really, truly look at him. No forcing herself to look away, no fear or dread that someone would catch her and judge her. She didn’t rush herself in taking in the image of him, not this time.

  
Tall, so much more so than herself or most other people at the camp. Dark hair that stood up every which way, that would be comical if it wasn’t somehow so endearing. Eyes -she’d learnt after an abrupt and short lived moment of mutual staring- that were a peculiar sort of golden hazel. A body that was obviously shaped by years of athletic endeavour, only made more apparent when he jumped to block his opponents, his whole body extended like a Greek statue reaching for the blazing sun above.   
If anything, it felt _so good_ to get to look at him.

  
“No. No he really isn’t,” she murmured with such raw transparency in emotion that Kiyoko could only turn sharply in shock. While originally there was an air of playfulness about the conversation, all that was left now in Kiyoko was realisation. Her friend was falling, even if she couldn’t admit it to herself or anyone who cared to notice. Kiyoko knew what pining looked like -she'd be lying if she said she hadn't seen it in Tanaka. It was the shine in her fake co-managers eyes as they let themselves trail Kuroo's every movement, it was the colour in her cheeks and the sigh that tumbled from her lips, surely imagining what it was like to be seen by him in return.  
  


“You have it **bad**. You should talk to him.” The suggestion was tender and caring, and she felt Kiyoko’s hand come to rest on her shoulder with a squeeze of support.

“I couldn’t. I wouldn’t know the first thing to say, and approaching someone so openly is easier said than done.”

“Well...hello is always a good start.”


	6. to be liked by you

Timidly, with about as much confidence as a fish out of water, she peeked her head into the doorway of the second gymnasium, where she had agreed the previous day to help Bokuto with some of his homework, and anyone else that should want her assistance.   
When he noticed her, Bokuto let her name out in a loud cheer, followed with a few ‘hey’s. The overwhelming friendliness he showed was warm and intoxicating, somehow willing her body from it’s spot behind the door and into the area with everyone else. 

“You came! I hope your team doesn’t mind us snatching their tutor here or there. It’s definitely not a sabotage tactic so they lose their finals and can’t compete with us,” a wink and a nudge of her arm had the two of them in joint laughter, as well as some of the others she’d come to learn the names of. 

There was one, Lev Haiba, tall as all hell and half Russian she'd learnt, who joined in quietly, before questioning faintly,

“Is it okay if I listen in too? I know I’m not a third year but I might learn something I can use to help with my studies too.”  
  
Before she could say ‘of course’ and ‘I’m happy to help anyone’, the voice that lilted through her dreams filled the very real space in a scold and a huff.

“No, Lev, I told you: you have to practice your receives. You have catching up to do if you want to be on the regular roster.” Lev’s only response was a groan and a hung head, before his long, gangly arms snatched up a stray volleyball and he sulked off to another position.

Kuroo then turned his attention to her, eyes transitioning from hard and disciplinary to something more delicate and apologetic. 

“Sorry, he means well and could probably benefit a lot from your help, but while he’s here and has all this opportunity to learn the ropes, he should take all the chances he gets. He’s a good kid, he just needs to focus.”

It was the first time he was directly speaking to her, and she was looking at him, only him...and it was to apologise. About someone else, no less.

It wasn’t as satisfying a first interaction he’d hoped for, and nothing charming.   
  
  
  
Was he…was he going for charming?   
  
  
  
He did want to make a good first impression, but what did that mean to him? He wanted her to like him, he knew that much, but what was it to be liked? What  _ sort _ of like was he looking for?

  
What was it to be liked by  _ her _ ?

  
Heat thrived in his chest at the question, threatening to flood his cheeks with colour. Being liked by her seemed awfully wonderful, he thought to himself.  
He was so riveted by these thoughts that he almost missed her reply. Almost.

  
“I understand. I feel like I should be taking notes or something, learning about the game a bit more while I’m here too.”

They looked into one another’s eyes, a smile dancing on each of their lips. In this small moment, they were the only ones occupying this space, and they were only in one another’s company. At least, that’s how it felt. The world around them blurred, along with everyone else.

“Rules and techniques are all really easy to pick up, from an outside perspective. It’s just the actual gameplay that can stump a few. You are helping quite a few third years with their homework though so I don’t think you’d have any trouble taking it all in.”

A compliment? It definitely sounded like it. The words were just shy of calling her intelligent, and he kicked himself for not being outright and saying it. Although perhaps if he had, he’d be kicking himself for being too forward.

She herself tried to ignore the rising flush of her face. To her ears, it was definitely the teasings of a compliment, or at least it went straight to her head and made her giddy just as a compliment would. Averting her eyes momentarily, she shook her head slightly as if to scold herself for being so easily swayed, before returning her sights to him, afraid that if she looked away too long he would stop looking back at her. 

“Helping is generous, I’m more just overseeing and making sure they keep on top of it.”

“That sounds like helping to me, and I’m sure every one of them would take all the help they could get.”

Amidst their back and forth, Bokuto had been tossing himself a ball and mimicking a set, not unaware of the conversation both Kuroo and the Karasuno manager was having, but giving Kuroo the chance to say something, anything impressive, and at least have her interested. Yet, despite his trying to be an outside party, he couldn’t help the guffaw that left his lips as Kuroo talked about needing her help. He caught the ball and tucked it under his arm, running his free hand through his grey locks and shrugging. 

“As much as it pains me to say, Kuroo’s right,” he spat the word as if it burnt his tongue on delivery, making a sour face, “I will definitely take help in any and all forms it comes in, so let’s get studying so we can call it in early, maybe get some more volleyball practice in and then get back to the sleeping areas.” 

The illusion of privacy was broken, and she looked to Bokuto with a new feeling of determination, pulling herself away from the intimacy of looking directly into Kuroo’s eyes. They were deep and alluring, so much so she was afraid she’d fall right into them and never stop.   
  
“Of course, let’s get studying. For every answer you get right, I’ll give you a toss, how does that sound? I can’t do any of the fancy blocking or anything, but I have thrown a ball or two in my life.”

“Hey, that’s a great idea! It can be motivation to actually try and use my brain,” agreed Bokuto enthusiastically while knocking his palm against his forehead, carelessly tossing the ball from under his arm to over his shoulder, behind him and forgotten in the place of plopping himself unceremoniously at the end of the gym. He beckoned for her to sit beside him, retrieving from his bag his papers. Obliging and sitting beside the tall, clumsy whirlwind of a man, her and Bokuto got stuck into his work, as he explained the finer details of his less-than-neat handwriting, deciphering all that she could not.

Kuroo took this time to tug his mind from her grasp, one he was sure she didn’t even know she held over him. Captivated, he believed the word was; while he wouldn’t be so quick to confess to such a feeling, he couldn’t so easily deny the amount of time he’d spent thinking about her. 

“C’mon Lev, let’s practice, get up.” 

  
As Lev hauled himself from the floor, Kuroo took the short seconds between to throw a glance at the end of the gym.   
  
One last peek. Just one more time, he allowed a dedicated look toward her. 

  
He would hold onto that one look for the rest of their personal night time practice. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this chapter A) took so long to come out and B) is so short. I've been struck with another story idea that simply demands to be written, and so I'm going to be putting a bit of effort into that and this story may have a short while's wait between chapters. The next one will be posted soon, in the next coming weeks (it's another Haikyu one! Character x character this time) so keep on the lookout for that one!
> 
> Forever yours,   
> LonelyLimbs


	7. only seeing you

Dark and deep was the night sky that hung over Japan, casting Nekoma High in shadow only illuminated by the bright moon. It shone in Bokuto’s eyes as he stared up at the stars and smiled sleepily. His hands pushed against his lower back as he stretched out and his mouth opened in a long yawn. 

“Well, we should pick this back up tomorrow night… or, at least, when we’re able to steal you away from your team again,” he tapped his chin while looking to be in thought, running the possibilities and plotting how to once again capture the much needed assistance of Karasuno’s pseudo third manager. 

“You may have to battle it out with Asahi, he’ll want someone to study with soon. He gets restless when he’s studying alone,” her warning was softened by a chuckle and made less intimidating by the exhaustion in her smile. 

Bokuto’s laughter was booming and full of energy, despite him seeming to be drifting asleep where he stood.   
“No problem for me, ace against ace! I mean, he might have a hard time going up against the nations number 5, but I’ll maybe go easy on him!”

“As Asahi’s friend, I’ll have to cheer him on, you know? I’d be a terrible friend to support the enemy.”

“Enemy?!” Bokuto visibly deflated, looking to her incredulously, “I’m not the enemy, I’m your friend too now, right? You have to cheer us both on, to give us both a fighting chance!” His hair wilted with the title and his whole upper body drooped over, once again proving the way this man put his whole body into every fleeting emotion. 

Akaashi patted a hand over Bokuto’s shoulder, leaning past him and looking at her over the other side.   
  
“If you only cheer Asahi on, Bokuto will definitely fall too deep into his own thoughts, and won’t be able to play to the best of his abilities. Therefore, make sure you shout really loud for Asahi and make Bokuto very jealous.” 

“Hey! Akaashi you can’t just plan that, especially right in front of me! This is sabotage!”

Either side of Bokuto, she and Akaashi simply shared a grin, while he grumbled and complained, kicking up dust and eventually following along behind Akaashi, as the two boys retreated back to where they would be sleeping for the night. They waved goodbye as they left, and she returned the gesture, before turning to the gym to collect her stuff and do the same. 

Yet, walking into the light of the gymnasium she was met with a figure, just one. 

Had he not gone back to the sleeping area with the rest of his team mates?

“Oh, I didn’t know you were still here...then again, I suppose someone has to lock everything up, I couldn’t be trusted to know how to do it myself.” Her attempt at a laugh was gentler than she intended, made awkward by the silent churning within her stomach and heat that threatened to spill into her cheeks with a vibrant, glowing red. 

“Yeah, the perks of being a captain, I have to take responsibility for all overtime practices and making sure everything gets locked up properly.” Kuroo tossed up a ball as he spoke, opting to keep his eyes trained on it rather than her, for fear he’d lose focus completely. He did so until he had finished explaining, and then turned to her in a swift motion. “Here- catch.”

The reaction was immediate- a gasp at the unexpected, and then hands readied for the ball as it sailed through the air. She caught it, without a problem, and let out the breath she’d held in a huff. It was something akin to endearing and hilarious, so much so that Kuroo couldn’t help the guffaw that burst from him. “Not bad, Karasuno, not bad.”

“Karasuno? Don’t tell me you don’t know my name by now, _Nekoma_ ,” she almost sneered the word, playfully but with a touch of aggression, “not after how much Bokuto used it when complaining about his homework.”

Oh he did know her name. It was wrapped around his brain like an affliction, twisted around his tongue and sweet to the taste. He simply couldn’t say it aloud, not to her, lest his voice betray him and crack under the weight of his persistent and nagging feelings aimed at her. 

Kuroo tilted his head slightly at the retaliation, finding some small amusement in the blossoming idea of calling each other by school name. 

Was it purely avoidant? 

Of course. 

But the longer he held off letting her name out into the open air, the easier it would be for him to learn to suppress the raging storm she caused behind his ribcage and inside his heart.  
  
“Fair, fair. But you’re forgetting, _Karasuno_ , we’re enemies. I’m the rival of your team, your friends.”

“You are right. It is highly suspicious of me to be here with the enemy. For all they know, I could be trading highly valuable information, letting out all of Karasuno’s secrets and plays. I should go back and let them know I’m a loyal team mate,” she relented, the ball resting on her stomach and held beneath both hands. She kept her gaze toward it as she spoke with a mellow smile, only looking up back to him when readying to pass him back the ball.

Something tugged at him, almost anxious and hesitant at the idea of losing time with her.   
  


He couldn’t let her leave.

  
He didn’t know why, what it was that anchored him to her and had his eyes widening slightly at her words, but he just couldn’t let her go without trying to make her stay.

“Wait-...since you’re the only one left, and uh...well, I still wanted to get a few hits in, but…”

There was no forethought. There was no planning. 

For someone who was known for his teasing and provocation, the words he tried to speak were nothing but a mess tumbling out and spilling across the gymnasium floor, muddled as anything.

“Ah, I guess what I’m trying to say is could I possibly borrow you for a few tosses? I’m sorry to inconvenience you. If you’re too tired-”

“No, no, I can do it,” she interrupted, waving a hand in resistance to his apology and giving a reassuring grin. “I can’t _just_ help Bokuto, right? That would be showing favouritism.”

“I wouldn’t blame you if he was your favourite, he has a way of making everyone like him. Just don’t tell him he’s your favourite, it’ll go straight to his head,” countered Kuroo, eyes soft and considerate at the thought of his larger-than-life friend.

“Can I do that? Have a favourite enemy? After all, if you are my enemy, then so is he. Should I start calling him Fukurodani?”

“Nah, you’ve already said his name, if you start calling him Fukurodani he’ll feel less important, it’ll get him all down and mopey. If there’s something you should know about Bokuto, it’s that he thrives off of being the centre of attention.”

Sure enough, it was something easily observed about the captain of Fukurodani; he was a shining beacon, radiating an energy that demanded to be watched, to be seen. 

And yet...all she could see was Kuroo. 

  
She couldn’t say that, of course, not even as a whisper. After all, what if he heard her?

Instead she would steer the conversation into territory where there was less of a danger she’d unintentionally spill her heart for him to see and hear. 

“So where should I stand? How high should I throw?”

  
  



End file.
